The Lesson Lounge - Tennis Warrior

Your Link to Professional Thinking!

What books should you read?

I have been asked many times what books to read to learn tennis, develop mental toughness or tennis strategies. Although there are many good books on the market, one neglected area is biographies or well written stories about the players. Hidden within the biography are many lessons that are not based on theory, but are based on real applications to the art of learning and playing tennis.

For instance, I have a book by Bjorn Borg called Borg by Borg. When it was written Borg was 23 years old. For those that do not know who Borg is he was from Sweden and the dominate player in the 70's and early 80's. He won 5 Wimbledon titles in a row and many other titles including 6 French Open titles. He was a great, consistent, tremendously disciplined player probably in the best shape of any player of his day. It seemed he could go on forever and ever without becoming tired.

His book was written in an interesting format. Borg and his coach, Lennard Bergelin, were interviewed and the questions and answers were placed in a book. Below are some of the excerpts from the interviews that were loaded with important lessons you will be hard pressed to find in standard teaching books. See if any of the answers look familiar to you.

- Did you have a coach when you first began to play?

Bjorn Borg - Not for the first three years. That's probably why I have such unconventional strokes - a two-handed backhand and so on. They say you must not play like I do, but I just felt right when I played like that. What is important is not the way you hit the ball, but whether or not it gets over the net. And when it does, it's marvelous to watch. If you have a stroke of your own, one that really works, and you feel right playing it, keep it, even if it isn't ‘classical.' Don't try to change it.

- Why do you face the net on your forehand?

Bjorn Borg - The books say you should be sideways on when you hit the ball. But I hit it facing the net because that position is natural for me. On the other hand, for my backhand. I bend down and stand sideways on to the net. People have tried to change my forehand without success. I feel much better facing the net. That's how I learned.

- What is the role of a coach?

Lennart Bergelin - I am a great believer in the individual style of each player. The coach has to learn to understand the player and the way he plays, and not try to impose a style on him. That can take a very long time. But if the player takes his tennis seriously and the coach is interested in him, it's the only way to succeed. The first time I saw Bjorn play, I realized that he would become a great player. I couldn't tell just how far he would go. We couldn't expect him to become the best in the world. But I as sure he would be a least one of the ten best players.

- You are the best player in the world and lots of people try to imitate your style. It has been said you don't like to be imitated. Is this true?

Bjorn Borg - I know lots of players try to imitate me and I'm not sure that's a good thing for them. I think it's better to find your own personal style, as Mr Bergelin has said, rather than imitating someone. Playing like me might go right against the personality of the player who's trying to do it. I think it's difficult to play as I do. You have to be very quick if you have a two-handed backhand, because you have to be nearer the ball when you hit it, so you have to get to it sooner. I see lots of young people trying to put on top-spin like Vilas or myself. I have nothing against it. It might even be a good idea because it's difficult to play against opponents who put a lot of top-spin on the ball. But the most important thing is to feel at home playing your strokes. Everything else, slice or top-spin, will follow naturally. Find the style that suits you best.

- How long did you spend on tennis at the beginning?

Bjorn Borg - For three months in the summer, I used to get up at six and go down to the courts. At ten in the evening my mother would come and fetch me! I never went home in the evening if she didn't come for me, not even to eat. I spent all day beside the courts. I watched people play and played for perhaps six hours a day myself. Even at night I felt like getting up to go and play. In winter it wasn't so easy. I could only play for about two hours a day, after school and homework and so on.

- How many rackets do you use a year?

Lennart Bergelin - A lot. We don't pay for them, of course. They are supplied by the firm with which Bjorn has a contract. We always play with rackets in perfect condition. We always pack thirty or forty when we leave for a tournament because I don't want to have to re-string one just before a match. At the tension it's very difficult not to warp the frames. Bjorn must not play with a bent racket! In any case, you can never re-string a racket at seventy-five pounds more than once or twice as it's too hard on the frame, especially in damp conditions. On average I think Bjorn must get through about 150 rackets a year.

I put the last question in because the answer was amazing. 150 rackets a year! That's over 10 a month or two or so a week. I wonder how much the new frames have changed those statistics?

Well, there you have it. The inside scoop on what it really takes to learn the game of tennis. Now I realize that most of you cannot play or practice that much (unless you are an aspiring junior) but the principle still holds. To improve, learn to play within your own style and form and let repetition be the catalyst that molds your individual game. If you're in the market for a coach find one that can teach you simple procedures that will allow your own style, creativity and instinct to develop.

Tom Veneziano